ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · lean · season · fan · wound · cabinet · leaves · jam

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. season — of the year
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. plane — a tool
  11. season — in sport
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. wound — an injury
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com